Apparatus and Method for Connecting to a Local Area Communication in a Portable Terminal

1. An apparatus for connecting to a local area communication resource, the apparatus comprising: a local area communication circuit; and a processor configured to: receive access point connection-related information, including basic service set (BSS) link information, and automatic connection support-related information from a plurality of access points, identify at least one access point capable of performing automatic connection support from among the plurality of access points based on the automatic connection support-related information indicating hotspot 2.0 indication element, receive connection information including link information of an external network from an access network query protocol (ANQP) information server connected to each of the at least one access point, wherein the connection information corresponds to hotspot 2.0 ANQP element, identify one or more access points with a download speed of the external network higher than a predetermined standard download speed, and with a channel load rate lower than a predetermined standard channel load rate from among the at least one access point, wherein the download speed is included in the link information of the external network, and the channel load rate is included in the BSS link information included in the access point connection-related information corresponding to each of the at least one access point, select a first access point with a maximum Received Signal Strength Indication (RSSI) information from among the one or more access points, and perform, through the local area communication circuit, a local area communication with the selected first access point.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the BSS link information includes a channel load rate of a corresponding access point and a number of portable terminals connected to the corresponding access point.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the connection information includes link information of a first external network connected to a corresponding access point generating a local area network, information of a service provider providing the first external network, and information including a connection type for connecting to the local area network.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein a plurality of external networks connected to the plurality of access points are provided by different service providers.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to select a second access point from among the at least one access point based on the channel load rate included in the BSS link information corresponding to each of the at least one access point, a transmission speed included in the link information of the external network included in the connection information, and RSSI information corresponding to each of the at least one access point.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the processor is further configured to estimate a transmission speed corresponding to each of the at least one access point based on the channel load rate and the RSSI information, identify at least one final transmission speed based on the estimated transmission speed and the transmission speed included in the link information of the external network, and select the second access point with a maximum final transmission speed from among the at least one access point.

7. A method for connecting to a local area communication resource, the method comprising: receiving access point connection-related information, including basic service set (BSS) link information, and automatic connection support-related information from a plurality of access points; identifying at least one access point capable of supporting automatic connection from among the plurality of access points based on the automatic connection support-related information indicating hotspot 2.0 indication element; receiving connection information including link information of an external network from an access network query protocol (ANQP) information server connected to each of the at least one access point, wherein the connection information corresponds to hotspot 2.0 ANQP element; identifying one or more access points with a download speed of the external network higher than a predetermined standard download speed, and with a channel load rate lower than a predetermined standard channel load rate from among the at least one access point, wherein the download speed is included in the link information of the external network, and the channel load rate is included in the BSS link information included in the access point connection-related information corresponding to each of the at least one access point; selecting a first access point with a maximum Received Signal Strength Indication (RSSI) information from among the one or more access points; and performing, through a local area communication circuit, a local area communication with the selected first access point.

8. The method according to claim 7 , wherein the BSS link information includes a channel load rate of a corresponding access point and a number of portable terminals connected to the corresponding access point.

9. The method according to claim 7 , wherein the connection information includes link information of a first external network connected to a corresponding access point generating a local area network, information of a service provider providing the first external network, and information including a connection type for connecting to the local area network.

10. The method according to claim 7 , wherein a plurality of external networks connected to the plurality of access points are provided by different service providers.

11. The method according to claim 7 , further comprising selecting a second access point from among the at least one access point based on the channel load rate included in the BSS link information corresponding to each of the at least one access point, a transmission speed included in the link information of the external network included in the connection information, and RSSI information corresponding to each of the at least one access point.

12. The method according to claim 11 , wherein the selecting of the second access point comprises: estimating a transmission speed corresponding to each of the at least one access point based on the channel load rate and the RSSI information, identifying at least one final transmission speed based on the estimated transmission speed and the transmission speed included in the link information of the external network, and selecting the second access point with a maximum final transmission speed from among the at least one access point.